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KECOLLECTIONS 



OP 



MARION LYLE HURD, 

IN A LETTER EROM HER FATHER, 
THE REV. CARLTON HURD. 

WITH AN INTRODUCTION 
BY THE 

REV. ASA CUMMINGS. 

SECOND EDITION. 



PHILADELPHIA : 
PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION. 

L 






Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1847, by 

A. W. MITCHELL, M. D., 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court for the Eastern District 

of Pennsylvania. 



5\ 

r 



INTRODUCTION. 

It may seem a needless obtrusion, to 
place one's self between the writer 
and the readers of the following narra- 
tive : and though, in this case, it is 
done in compliance with a fraternal 
request, preferred in circumstances too 
tenderly solemn to justify a negative, 
yet I can hardly expect the thanks of 
the latter for detaining them, even for 
a moment, from the instruction and 
good moral impression, which the sim* 
pie story before them is fitted to im- 
part. The parents of the child, whose 
traits of character are here delineated, 

are not ambitious to have her name 

iii 



IV INTRODUCTION. 

known beyond the circle of her re- 
latives and personal acquaintances. 
They would have preferred to keep 
i the joys and sorrows, the anxieties and 
hopes, of which she was the occasion, 
within the sanctuary of their own bo- 
soms ; or to have shared them only, in 
mournfully pleasing converse, with 
select and endeared friends, but for 
the conviction, that good might result 
to others and honour to the grace of 
God from the publication of the more 
prominent facts in the brief history of 
their lamented infant; — a conviction, 
not induced and confirmed without 
the reasonings of intelligent Christian 
friends, whose judgment is entitled to 
confidence. 

That the Christian public will sanc- 
tion this judgment, there is no reason- 
able doubt; all they wish is, the as- 
surance that what they read is fact, 



INTRODUCTION. V 

and not fiction. Those to whom the 
narrator is known, will not ask even 
this; and if others should think that 
personal interest may have, unconsci- 
ously, given some exaggerated colour- 
ing to the incidents, I am fully per- 
suaded that such is not the case, and 
that no allowance needs to be made on 
this account. The facts, growing out 
of a precocious development, it should 
be remembered, are not affected by 
any speculations concerning its cause, 
I feel assured, beyond doubt, from 
what I had been told of the child be- 
fore this narrative was written, that 
the statements, which task credulity 
the most heavily, are yet within the 
bounds of truth; of course, that a 
somewhat stronger exhibition would 
not transcend the strictest historical 
verity. — Indeed the whole could not be 
told. Imagination can supply much 



VI INTRODUCTION. 

without great danger of mistake. As- 
sociations, such as exist in the paren- 
tal mind, will give to these mitigated 
statements a heart -moving import. 
There is not, perhaps, in the whole 
story, a more affecting sentence, than 
that which is made up of these few 
simple words : "It was not a time to 
say any thing." 

While this sketch can hardly fail to 
be useful and interesting to children ; 
the account which it gives of intellec- 
tual phenomena, almost in the very 
dawn of life, must make it a very im- 
portant chapter in the history of mind, 
— one which the mature student of 
mental philosophy will be the last to 
despise. As a help to parents in train- 
ing their offspring, especially under 
intellectual and moral developments 
of a peculiar character, and where 
rough treatment might suddenly and 



INTRODUCTION. Vll 

forever blast a gentle and sensitive 
spirit, — its use will be obvious on pe- 
rusal. It teaches much, and in the 
best manner, without professing to 
teach at all. The evidence which it 
contains of the susceptibility of the in- 
fant mind to religious impressions, 
will deepen the sense of parental re- 
sponsibility, and quicken parents in 
the work of instruction and interces- 
sion for their beloved offspring. View- 
ed in any aspect, this little history of 
a child, who, at the time of her death, 
February 21st, 1841, was only four 
years and twenty-six days old, is suit- 
ed to leave on the mind a strong con- 
viction of the importance of the infan- 
tile portion of human existence, — a 
matter too much, and too universally 
overlooked. The youngest child pos- 
sesses an immortal spirit, and likewise 
a moral constitution, with the develop- 



Vill INTRODUCTION. 

ment of which are connected conse- 
quences more momentous than pen 
can describe. — This little book is sent 
out in the hope, and with the prayer, 
that a blessing may attend it. 

A. Cummings. 
Portland, August, 1841. 



LETTER 



TO THE 



REV. WESTON B. ADAMS. 



WN*«*N/S/V/\/N/\/V/\/V\/W 



Dear Brother : — We received your 
letter of March the eighth, in due time. 
Your visit was certainly " timely 
and comforting" to us, and we join 
you in saying, " to God be the praise." 
You came at a time when we most 
needed the sympathy and prayers of 
Christian friends, especially of one 
who, like yourself, had been taught of 
God, in the school of affliction. Ma- 
rion had often reminded us of your 
dear little Harriet, with whom you 
were called to part some two or three 



10 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

years since, by bringing forward some 
childish, things, saying, " These be- 
longed to my dear cousin Harriet, who 
is dead and gone to heaven ; and my 
aunt Adams gave them to me."* 

We were passing through a similar 
scene ; drinking the same cup ; learn- 
ing by experience the same lesson. 
Your arrival on that evening, w T hen 
"death was spreading his gloomy still- 
ness" over our household, to exhort us 
to confide in God, and to carry us and 
the dying to the throne of grace, in 
such a time of need, was comforting. 

There were other circumstances 
connected with your visit, that to us 
made it one of great interest. We had 
just returned from your house, whith- 
er we had been to weep and pray with 
you over the remains of your beloved 
wife, and to commit them in faith and 
hope to the grave. We had left you 
alone, still in the midst of sickness, 
watching over the last days of another 

* See note A. 



MARION L. HURD. 11 

of our dear sisters, and she, too, had 
gone the way of all the earth. And 
when you came to us, you found death 
hei*e also, just finishing his work upon 
the clay tabernacle of that dear child, 
of whose intellectual and moral quali- 
ties, you ask us to give you a simple 
and somewhat extended narrative. 
These events, common indeed in this 
dying world, were thrown as it were 
together upon us, occurring in rapid 
succession. But instead of murmur- 
ing, and saying " Why hath God dealt 
thus with us?" let us rather adore in 
silence, and gather up in our memo- 
ries for our own spiritual improve- 
ment, what was Christian and heaven- 
ly in the character and lives of those 
dear friends, w^hom both you and we 
have been called in so quick succes- 
sion to lay in the grave. With plea- 
sure we yield to your request ; 

" For she we lost, was lovely, and we loved 
Her much. Fresh in our memory, as fresh 
As yesterday, is yet the day she died ;" 



12 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

and in fulfilling it, we have no records 
to go to excepting memory, which 
brings back to us reminiscences both 
sad and joyful : — sad, that opportunity 
has ceased forever for prayer and re- 
ligious discourse with a child whose 
mind was so familiar with the Bible, 
so susceptible of receiving its sacred 
impressions, apparently at least so de- 
lighted with its exhibitions of God and 
good men ; and that it was not more 
faithfully improved while enjoyed: — 
joyful, that she lived long enough to 
show us that life's great end, the 
knowledge and love of divine things, 
may be secured even by a little child, 
and very satisfactory evidence of it 
afforded in the general spirit, conver- 
sation and conduct. It is not the piety 
of the full grown and mature Chris- 
tian, that we are to look for in a child. 
This would be expecting too much. 
But it is not our object to convince 
you that Marion was a Christian. 
Your views on this subject were very 



MARION L. HURD. 13 

fully expressed both before and after her 
decease ; and you would blame us, if, 
from the personal knowledge you had 
of her, we did not entertain the hope, 
refreshing indeed to our wounded spi- 
rits, that she has entered " the city of 
our God." This however we desire to 
leave calmly with God, who "knows 
all things," remembering "that we see 
through a glass darkly." You ask us 
"to begin from the first dawnings of 
her intellect, and follow her along to 
the time of her death ; that you may 
know more of the mental qualities and 
moral dispositions and habits of a 
child, whose face was so intelligent 
and lovely even in death." 

Marion Lyle was born on the morn- 
ing of January 25th, 1837; and in her 
very infancy attracted the notice of 
persons of discrimination, and was the 
subject of remark, not merely for be- 
ing a lovely infant, but for her observ- 
ing eye, expressive countenance, and 
2 



14 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

the sweet smile which played around 
her mouth, and which death left there. 

There was nothing old in her per- 
sonal appearance; it was all infancy 
lighted up by the spirit working 
strongly within, and altogether too 
soon in life, rendering her an observer 
of w T hat took place around her. Evi- 
dence of this is found in the fact, that 
at the age of six months, conversation 
in the room began to engage her at- 
tention. She fixed her eye upon each 
speaker, and followed round wherever 
the voice came from ; so that strangers 
would sometimes ask, "Does that child 
notice what we say?" We suppose it 
was reading the scriptures in our fam- 
ily devotions, that gave Marion her 
first impressions of books ; at least it 
was in connexion with this exercise, 
that she began at that early period to 
show an interest in the reading of 
others and an attachment to books. 

About this time, Marion had a short 
but severe attack upon the lungs, and 



MARION L. HURD. 15 

for a season there was no hope of her 
recovery. In view of her death, we 
were pained by the thought of having 
neglected her dedication to God in the 
holy ordinance of baptism. It had 
been delayed on account of the un- 
pleasantness of the Sabbaths. But 
God heard our prayer and spared her 
life, and she rapidly recovered her 
health ; and we trust in faith and hope 
we then devoted her to God, to be his 
forever; and with unusual fervency 
prayed that she might at that time re- 
ceive the renewing of the Holy Ghost. 
Having referred to her early notice 
of conversation and books, it would be 
in place to observe here, that from the 
time she was eight months old, read- 
ing to her from the broad sheets de- 
signed for Infant or Sabbath Schools, 
was found to produce almost uninter- 
rupted tranquillity and apparent plea- 
sure. No matter who read, whether 
parents, children or domestics, she sat 
upon the knee a quiet and attentive 



16 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

listener. When Marion was nine 
months old, she was seized with the 
whooping-cough, to which we always 
attributed, perhaps improperly, the 
origin of that disease which terminated 
her life. It left her lungs apparently 
diseased, and was followed with labo- 
rious breathing and restlessness at 
night. And from the time she was 
one year old to the morning she died, 
Marion had no sweet refreshing sleep 
by day or night. Hence we were 
alarmed, and entertained secret fears 
about her, always keeping her with us 
during the night. The preservation 
of her health was one leading object ; 
and, supposing the seat of the diffic.ul- 
ty to be in the lungs, we carefully se- 
cluded her from all sudden changes of 
temperature; and, as her lungs w^ere 
more oppressed in cold than in warm 
weather, the nursery was kept warm 
during the winter nights, fondly flat- 
tering ourselves that she would out- 
grow these difficulties, could she only 



MARION L. HURD. 17 

be preserved from taking cold. In the 
mean time she grew well ; a beautiful 
symmetry in her person, a quickness 
of apprehension and very engaging 
moral dispositions, early and rapidly 
developing themselves, were drawing 
our hearts very strongly towards Ma- 
rion, and her company seemed essen- 
tial to the happiness of ourselves and 
family. But God saw otherwise. 
"His ways are not as our ways," and 
we desire to bless his name, repeating 
your prayers for us, " That our souls 
by this affliction may be detached from 
earth and strongly attracted to the 
skies." 

Marion could talk plainly when she 
was one year old, and acquired with 
facility the use of language. She be- 
gan at this age to repeat at night the 
" Lord's Prayer" and the little verse, 

" Now I lay me down to sleep," 

a practice she uniformly kept up 

through life. It was also her practice 

2* 



18 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

to connect with her evening prayer 
the little hymn ; 

" Now I am young", a little one, 
If I can speak and go alone, 
Then I must learn to know the Lord, 
And learn to read his holy word." 

When Marion was one year and a 
half old, she began to show an interest 
in family prayer, and to take part in 
reading the scriptures by repeating 
after another a text whenever it came 
her turn. Then would she kneel, gen- 
erally by her father's chair, laying her 
head in his hands, and repeat audibly 
and distinctly the words of the prayer 
after him ; a practice she long continu- 
ed, and never entirely laid aside. We 
neither encouraged nor discouraged 
this habit. — Sometimes the elder child- 
ren would say to her, " It is not pro- 
per, Marion, for you to say the prayer 
over after father." — Then she appeal- 
ed to her parents, and was greatly 
pleased on being told she had done 



MARION L. HURD. 19 

nothing improper ; and so long as she 
was permitted in the providence of 
God to engage in our family devotions, 
unless some stranger were present, she 
usually said at the close of prayer, 
"All for the Redeemer's sake. Amen." 
It was now that Marion began fa- 
miliarly to call the Bible, " God's 
book." This title was one she gave 
without any special instruction; and 
we took occasion from it to explain to 
her the origin and use of the Bible ; 
why we constantly read it in the fam- 
ily, and prayed to God; repeating to 
her the words of the Apostle, " Holy 
men of God spake as they were moved 
by the Holy Ghost." There was no- 
thing forgotten or unused that was 
once deposited in Marion's mind ; and 
when two years old, it was her habit 
in the morning to bring the Bible to 
her father at praj r er time, saying, 
"The Bible was given to teach us 
about God and the way to heaven." 
This practice of bringing the Bible 



20 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

and receiving it again at her father's 
hand when the reading was over, was 
a privilege she ever after claimed. In 
the spring of the year that Marion was 
two years old, we supposed at the 
time, and have ever since been of the 
opinion, that her mind was seriously 
exercised with religious things. There 
was a pleasing revival of religion with 
us, and a series of meetings in the 
evening. Concerning the object of 
these she made many inquiries of her 
mother, was attentive to religious con- 
versation in the family, often asked 
her mother during the day to go away 
and pray with her, sometimes kneeled 
down and asked short sentences of 
prayer herself, and would say, "Mo- 
ther, I am going to pray. What shall 
I say to God?" Her mother would 
reply, Ask God to make you good and 
give you a new heart. " What is a 
new heart, mother ?" This was famili- 
arly explained; and at the same time 
she was particularly informed of the 



MARION L. HURD. 21 

way of salvation by Jesus Christ, and 
the steps God had taken to save sin- 
ners. — We endeavoured to impress 
upon her mind that she was a sinner 
and needed forgiveness ; and God 
would forgive her sins, and give her a 
new heart through Jesus Christ. She 
often requested at this time to be told 
the story of Jesus Christ ; and as the 
principal facts in the history of the 
Saviour were related, she would throw 
in the remarks, " God gave his Son to 
save sinners. — Jesus Christ came down 
from heaven, did he not? How could 
he die for us ? He was'nt, like other 
men, was he?" During this period, 
her mother often prayed with her 
alone; and when she ceased, Marion 
would commence, " God in heaven, 
hear;" then turning to her mother, as 
though she might say something im- 
proper, in the sweetest tones would 
ask, "Tell me what to say." Her 
mother at such times, would dictate a 
prayer, and Marion repeat it; then 



22 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

throw her arms around her mother's 
neck and say, " O mother, I do love 
God — with all my heart I love him." 
Her mother would express some doubt 
— fears that she did not. Marion's 
eyes would fill w T ith tears, and with a 
plaintive voice she would repeat, " I 
do love God" Such scenes are re- 
membered with much interest by a 
mother ; — a lovely child, at the age of 
two years, thus asking to be taught to 
pray, and endeavouring to give her 
heart to God — but now reposing with 
the dead. It is a consoling reflection, 
that she began early to think of God, 
to pray to him and enquire the way of 
salvation ; and that she chiefly devot- 
ed her few remaining days, to the ac- 
quisition of religious knowledge ; and 
that, after she learned to read, and 
read much in a great variety of books, 
the Bible, and other good books, de- 
signed to lead the heart to God, and 
the thoughts to another life, were her 
choicest ones; over whose lessons of 



MARION L. HURD. 23 

piety and affecting stories, as she read 
towards the close of life, she sometimes 
prayed, and often wept ; and that sur- 
prised suddenly as she was by death, 
it found her not altogether unacquaint- 
ed with that spiritual world, amid 
whose scenes of everlasting interest 
her spirit now dwells. We express 
no judgment in regard to the result of 
this season of religious interest in Ma- 
rion's mind, to which we have alluded. 
If she was truly converted, w^e cannot 
tell w T hen the change took place. "We 
repose confidently in God the hope, 
that she has entered the " celestial 
city," where 

" Shout loudest, the redeemed, glory to God, 
And to the Lamb who bought us with his blood, 
From every kindred, nation, people, tongue ; 
And washed, and sanctified, and saved our souls." 

Marion lived not two years from the 
time above specified ; and during this 
period, there w-as nothing in her gene- 
ral spirit and conduct, against w T hat 
she so confidently affirmed ; but much 



24 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

to encourage in us the hope, that it 
was even so; she did love God; and 
that He was preparing her from that 
time for that " river" through which 
she has passed, and through which we 
ourselves must pass. 

The third spring was now opening 
upon Marion Lyle ; and we could no 
longer question that God had commit- 
ted to our care a peculiar child, in 
comparison with our other children; 
not so much for any particular out- 
ward adornments, as for the suscepti- 
bilities of her mind. Like the strings 
of an instrument moved by the slight- 
est breath of air, Marion's mind was 
moved by the slightest incident. 
There was a putting forth, too, of the 
faculties of the mind, like the swelling 
of the bud, or rather like the unfold- 
ing of the blossom with its first formed 
fruit — not of any one faculty by itself; 
but of them all, intellectual and moral ; 
asking for the knowledge of God, Christ, 
the visible and invisible heavens, the 



MARION L. HURD. 25 

works of nature and art, the name of 
every thing she saw, and the end for 
which it was made. — With her unceas- 
ing bodily and mental exercise, there 
was combined an exceedingly kind 
and affectionate disposition of heart. 
There was also in Marion the princi- 
ple of obedience, a constant desire to 
please, and the greatest flow of spirits ; 
never dull, never still, always contriv- 
ing ways to acquire knowledge, and 
make herself and others happy. What 
shall be the course of parental man- 
agement, was to us at this time a seri- 
ous question. Marion was all excit- 
ability ; her mind already beyond her 
years. Push it forward we durst not; 
keep it back we could not. The other 
children were engaged in study, and a 
portion of their time out of school 
was occupied with their books. Ma- 
rion must have a seat with them at 
the table, look over, and have the les- 
son read and explained to her. She 
insisted upon this in a very affection- 



26 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

ate, yet persevering manner ; and was 
unwilling that any such opportunity 
should pass unimproved. How other 
parents would have managed under 
our charge, we know not. Had we 
known the precise point of danger, in 
some things we should have done dif- 
ferently. 

Our rule was to lead Marion with 
the gentlest hand ; to make her way as 
quiet and even as possible ; to meet 
promptly all her reasonable requests ; 
to gratify all her innocent inclinations ; 
to allay excitement by soothing words 
and argument, and procuring as much 
sleep as possible. Excessive joy or 
grief were the two extremes, to which, 
in regard to the passions, we were 
aware she was exposed ; and from each 
of which we desired her to be preser- 
ved. Employment she must have; 
to be still or idle was out of the ques- 
tion. We endeavoured to furnish a 
variety, that her mind might not dwell 
long on any one thing. 



MARION L. HURD. 27 

Marion had already made a little col- 
lection of ,books — some the gift of vis- 
iters, some presents from her brothers 
and sister, some from her father's study 
— which she called her library. They 
were generally small books, stories of 
good children, and strictly of a reli- 
gions or moral character. Among them 
were Parley's Geography and Astrono- 
my, Gallaudet's " Child's Book on the 
Soul/' and ' ' Daily Food for Christians. ' - 
These books are specified to illustrate 
some of her conversations, to show 
where she obtained her ideas, and the 
measures she adopted to acquire know- 
ledge. They were always at hand, 
and she suffered no day to pass with- 
out having some of them read to her. 
When either of her parents had a mo- 
ment's leisure, she was sure to come 
running with her book; " Read me 
this." Sometimes objections were made 
— it was not convenient. " Read to me 
just while you sit down ; come, do." 
This request she was in the habit of 



28 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

making to some of the neighbours, 
when they came in. After a piece was 
read to her, she would take the book 
and go over the same by herself. If it 
was a story, she would repeat it ; if 
something else, she would try to express 
the ideas in her own language, at the 
same time turning over the leaves of 
her book in imitation of reading. In 
this way she obtained a knowledge of 
what her books contained ; and by the 
constant action of her fingers they were 
used up in her third year. 

When reading to her seemed to meet 
the state of her mind, it was done ; but 
never long at one time. Her attention 
w T as frequently diverted by giving her 
a ride, a walk, or conversation. It was 
the peculiar constitution of her mind 
that induced us, whenever it was con- 
venient, to take Marion in our visits 
about the parish ; and she was in the 
habit of going almost wherever her 
father went, and often playfully said to 
him, " I am just like Mary's lamb ;" 



MARION L. HURD. 29 

referring to a little verse her sister had 
taught her as soon as she could speak, 
beginning thus : 

" Mary had a little lamb, 
" Its fleece was white as snow ; 
" And every where that Mary went, 
" The lamb was sure to go." 

Her inquiries and conversation during 
this summer, showed that her mind 
was not only very active, but dwelt 
much upon religious subjects. She 
would say, " tell me about God; tell me 
all about him;" as though there was 
something which she desired to know 
respecting God, that had not been com- 
municated in former conversations. We 
said to her, God is a very great and 
glorious being, and there is much about 
God that nobody can know in this 
world. Here we can know little ; they 
know much more of God in heaven, 
than we do in this world. Then, in 
a plain way, what the Bible says about 
God, was repeated to her. God is a 

spirit. He made all things ; he knows 
3 * 



30 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

all things ; is present at all times ; and 
in all places ; God made Marion, and 
all the little children, and every body 
else in the world; and God is very 
good ; he gives ns all good things ; 
and gave his Son to save our souls. — 
Upon this account of God, she had ma- 
ny questions to ask, which were answer- 
ed. What she particularly dwelt upon 
one time was, that God was a spirit, and 
every where present. She came to her 
father with her difficulties, and said, 
" God is a spirit and every where pres- 
ent, is'nt he?" Yes. " He has no 
head, and hands, and feet, such as I 
have?" No. " He has no eyes, and 
ears, and mouth, such as I have ?" No. 
" When you pray, father, you say God 
sees us, hears all we say, and his hand 
gives us our daily bread." This lan- 
guage as applied to God was explained 
to her, and what was meant by God's 
being every where present. This scrip- 
ture character of God was laid up in 
her mind, not to be unemployed, but 



MARION L. HURD. 31 

brought out in her conversation almost ■ 

daily to the close of life. It was plain 
from her remarks, she understood the 
soul to be something different from the 
body, and to be immortal. During this 
season also, Marion began clearly to 
discriminate between the works of God 
and the works of man, of nature and 
art ; and what God had made seemed 
to lead her mind to Him. Of the flow- 
ers she gathered, the blossoms she 
plucked from the apple trees in the 
garden, and of the roses others gave 
her, she would say, " how beautiful ! 
God made this ; God makes all these 
pretty things for us." Marion delight- 
ed to look out, of a summer's evening, 
from the window or piazza, upon the 
starry heavens, and then rep 3 at the 
hymn, 

" When the shining sun goes down, 
" The gentle moon draws nigh ; 
" And stars come twinkling one by one 
" Upon the shady sky." 

The names of the principal heavenly 



32 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

bodies she had learned; and thus it 
was evident, that reading to her out of 
her books, had given her many ideas of 
God and his works. Evenings, after 
being prepared for bed, while in pro- 
cess of being rocked to sleep and say- 
ing her prayers, were seasons in which 
Marion took great delight in religious 
conversation. It was our custom, as a 
general thing, to rock her to sleep at 
night ; not that she was afraid ; for she 
knew not what fear was ; day and night 
were both alike to her, in this respect. 
But Marion dreaded sleep ; she shrunk 
from the idea of going to bed. This 
we plainly saw, and knew there was 
something that caused it. She took 
no sleep during the day, but was in 
constant activity, both of body and 
mind. We, therefore, allowed our- 
selves to do, what most parents do not 
---soothe to sleep our wakeful child. 
We understand better now, what the 
difficulty was, and why sleep was dread- 
ed, and no " tired nature's sweet restor- 



MARION L. HURD. 33 

er " to Marion ; and do not regret, that 
with great kindness, we dealt with her 
at night ; and tliat generally upon the 
bosom of one or other of her parents, 
she laid her head to sleep. Her con- 
versations and prayers on those occa- 
sions more than compensated us at the 
time, and are looked back upon, now 
she is gone, with peculiar pleasure. 
The cradle hymn, which she had learn- 
ed, and wished sung to her at evening, 
furnished much matter for reflection 
and remark, not only on the history 
and character of our Saviour, but on 
the kindness and goodness of God to 
herself. Reciting some of its stanzas, 
she would contrast the circumstances 
of Jesus' infancy with her own ; noting 
various things he was deprived of, 
which she enjoyed ; not forgetting her 
little bed that stood beside her moth- 
er's, while " the Saviour in a manger 
lay ;" saying " how good God is to me 
— how many good things I have !" She 
was told, wiiat a sweet, patient and 



34 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

good child Jesus was ; how he loved 
his parents, and obeyed them. "Yes," 
applying to him a line of one of her 
hymns, 

" He was a sweet and kind and lovely child ;" 

" and I mean to be good." It would 
be said to her, Now can't you go to 
sleep ? With an animated and smil- 
ing face, she would say, "Tell me some 
more ; just one story more, can't you ?" 
Such at this early period were Marion's 
thirst for knowledge, and power of con- 
versation ; and so readily did she apply 
to use what she had acquired. 

We began this season taking her to 
the house of God. She was very hap- 
py and joyful in the idea of going to 
meeting. But we did not take her reg- 
ularly to the church this summer, for 
two reasons. Marion could not sit still ; 
there was a physical impossibility in 
it ; and if she fell asleep, her laborious 
breathing disturbed the congregation. 
When she did not go, she asked what 



MARION L. HURD. 35 

the sermon was about; and being told, 
she would add, " I wish I had been 
there." Sabbath morning was always 
welcome to her; and her hymn, " 'Tis 
the holy Sabbath day," was not forgot- 
ten. She generally asked the privilege 
of going to meeting, saying, "I must 
worship God." When she did not 
go, she would say, " may not such a 
one stay at home with me, and read 
the Sabbath school books ?" This ar- 
rangement was always satisfactory to 
her. 

Such was Marion, when with your 
family you passed some summer days 
with us; and your dear wife com- 
menced a personal acquaintance with 
her ; walked, rode, and conversed with 
her; and became so much interested 
in her personal appearance and mental 
qualities. This visit was never forgot- 
ten by Marion; it was ever after, " my 
dear aunt Adams."* The effect pro- 
duced upon her mind, when your let- 
* Note B. 



36 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

ter of the 18th of January reached us, 
announcing the death of that dear sis- 
ter, shows how Marion's memory re- 
tained past events, and how tender 
and strong were her affections towards 
her friends. We were sitting by the 
window, the sun just sinking behind 
our hills. Broken and irregular clouds 
hung over the mountains, shining with 
golden brightness in the sun's setting 
rays, when your letter was put into 
our hands. — Its black seal was noticed, 
but nothing said. We durst not ask, 
who is dead ? We knew whose hand 
made the superscription. Marion per- 
ceiving the letter in her father's hand, 
took her place by the window in her 
mother's lap. The first sentence told 
the story. "I suppose," said her mo- 
ther, " Mr. Adams is giving us some 
account of the death of brother Ed- 
wards." " No !" was the reply; "it 
is Harriet that is dead !" Marion look- 
ed in her mother's face and said, " Is 
my dear aunt Harriet -dead?" She 



MARION L. HURD. 37 

was told, she was. She struggled 
some minutes with her feelings; but 
overcome, she wept aloud on her mo- 
ther's neck, with great difficulty utter- 
ing, " I did love her. I shall see her 
no more. She has gone over the river 
into the ' celestial city.' " You are 
aware of the origin of this language. 
Her mother kissed her and wiped 
away her tears ; telling her it was a 
blessed thing to die in Christ ; to be a 
good child, love Jesus, and pray to 
him, and she would go to heaven and 
see her dear aunt again, and live with 
her forever ; not anticipating that this 
thoughtful, sympathizing child, now 
sorrowing in her arms at the death of 
another, would herself in so few days 
pass over the " river," and as we hope 
and believe, into the " celestial city," to 
weep no more. 

Herein was fulfilled that saying of 
the Apostle, " the time is short — they 
that weep, as though they wept not." 
To all our dear friends, Marion was 



38 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

greatly affectionate; often requesting 
to go and see her grandmother and 
poor sick Louisa;* and to her uncle 
and aunt Clark, she was most fondly 
attached. They were absent a long 
time at the west; she kept them in 
lively remembrance, often inquiring 
after them, requesting to have their 
letters read to her; and, as she was 
generally alluded to in them, with her 
usual vivacity she would say, " I shall 
be so glad when they come home." Her 
love was not confined to her family 
friends; it embraced all the neigh- 
bours and little children ; and it was a 
common remark with her, " I love ev- 
ery body, and every body loves me." 

During the autumn and winter that 
Marion was reaching the age of three 
years, she became very familiar with 
Bible history. This history was not 
read to her from the Bible, but related 
in conversation, in compliance with 
her often repeated requests. Nothing 
* Note C. 



MARION L. HTJRD. 39 

was urged upon her ; for it was our 
invariable rule never to press her to 
any mental effort ; but, on the contra- 
ry, as far as practicable, to divert her 
from that constant study and mental 
application to which she was so strong- 
ly inclined. " Now tell me a Bible 
story," would be her request. She 
gave fixed and thoughtful attention, 
letting nothing go unexplained that 
she did not understand. These re- 
quests were repeated daily, and some- 
times addressed to the neighbours she 
was most familiar with, when they 
came in. Late in the autumn, there 
came to reside in our family, for seve- 
ral weeks, a very intelligent and pious 
lady, who made it a point to meet all 
Marion's requests for Bible stories. 
The knowledge which she thus ob- 
tained of many important facts and 
characters delineated in the Bible, af- 
forded subjects for much thought and 
conversation; and was not without a 
moral influence upon her mind. She 



40 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

often referred to the early piety of 
Joseph, Samuel, David, arid Timothy. 
The prompt obedience which child- 
ren should render to their parents, she 
was in the habit of illustrating by the 
story of Samuel, when God called 
him. She would tell and apply the 
story in this way : — " When Samuel 
was a little boy, his mother brought 
him to Eli, because she had promised 
him to the Lord. One night, after 
Samuel lay down to sleep, the Lord 
called him. He ran to Eli and said, — 
'Here am I, for thou calledst me.' 
Eli told him he had not called, ' go lie 
down again.' So he did. Again the 
Lord called Samuel ; and he went to 
Eli and said, 'Here am I, for thou 
didst call me.' Eli said, 'I did not, 
my son; lie down again.' The Lord 
called Samuel a third time, and he 
went to Eli and said, ' Thou didst call 
me.' So little children must hear and 
do quick what their parents say ; just 



MARION L. HURD. 41 

as Samuel ran to Eli, when he thought 
he called him." 

The Sabbath school books too, 
brought home by the other children, 
she contrived ways to have read to 
her, to no inconsiderable extent. And 
while she was thus daily acquiring 
new ideas, chiefly by her own efforts, 
she also had her seasons of prayer ; 
and sometimes, evidently, her mind 
was much engaged in religious things, 
for she talked much and earnestly 
about them. 

We now come to Marion's fourth 
and last year ; the most important one 
to herself, as the last year of human 
life must be to all; and of all her 
years, the most interesting one to our- 
selves: not so much for the develop- 
ment of new traits of character and 
moral dispositions, as for the growth 
— the maturing, as it were, of those 
she already possessed. We shall as 
briefly as possible, touch upon some 
of the more important things, showing 



42 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

the progress of her mind, and the di- 
rection of her moral feelings — having 
even now extended this letter beyond 
all reasonable length. 

In the beginning of Marion's fourth 
year we were much encouraged in re- 
gard to her health. She had passed 
through the cold weather with less se- 
vere sufferings by night than the pre- 
vious winter; she breathed more freely ; 
her countenance wearing a healthy 
and lively expression ; and you could 
scarcely conceive of a more active, 
playful, and happy child than the 
flowers of summer found her. Indeed, 
this was always true of Marion. She 
was playful and happy; and it used 
to be said of her by others who saw 
her the oftenest, — "We know of no 
one who seems to enjoy life like Ma- 
rion." 

From the great variety and amount 
of reading she had heard for two years, 
and her knowledge of Scripture his- 
tory, she had acquired many ideas, 



MARION L. HURD. 43 

and was able to express them in her 
own language, with great propriety 
and facility ; so that now she was not 
only a kind and affectionate child, but 
a very agreeable companion. 

She had not at this time, to our 
knowledge, learned any of the letters 
of the alphabet ; nor was it our wish 
that she should. Her excessive fond- 
ness for books made us fear the conse- 
quences of her learning to read at this 
age; and our plan was, to lead her 
through the summer with as little 
mental effort and excitement as possi- 
ble. It was far from our design that 
she should attend school this season ; 
and for some weeks after the district 
school commenced, she said nothing 
about attending. But observing the 
little children as they were going to 
school and returning, Marion began to 
ask, if she might not go; saying, " Miss 
Evans keeps it — I love her — I'll be a 
good girl — I wont disturb the school." 
At the same time the little girls came 



44 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

often in for water, as the school house 
is just across the street ; and they also 
plead for her going. Her mind, too, 
was strongly set upon it ; and her mo- 
ther consented, hoping half a day 
would satisfy her, — at the same time 
giving the teacher to understand she 
need give Marion no instruction. She 
was pleased with her school ; and in- 
struction she would have, reminding 
her teacher that her lesson had not 
been heard. Led by the hand of some 
half a dozen little girls, who called for 
her in the morning, Marion went to 
school a portion of three months. To- 
wards these little girls, she always ex- 
pressed and manifested strong love. 
The last time Marion ever went out, 
as she passed the houses in which they 
lived, she called over their names, say- 
ing, " I do love them — let me stop and 
see them — it has been so long." 
When she could be prevailed upon to 
stay out of school, and go out to ride 
with her father, efforts were not want- 



MARION L. HURD 45 

ing on his part to induce her to do it ; 
and often, in the afternoon, she was 
especially sent for into the school, to 
take her from books. Sometimes, 
when we were endeavouring to dis- 
suade her from going, she would say, 
"I must go; for Miss Evans can't 
keep school without me. I shall be 
sent for, if I don't go." 

Marion rapidly acquired the art of 
reading; and when she left school 
could read very well in common books; 
and read her portion in the Scriptures 
in the morning with ease and proprie- 
ty. A few weeks after she commenc- 
ed attending the day school, Marion 
asked the privilege of going to the 
Sabbath school ; and being led in, she 
took her seat among a class of little 
girls, under the charge of her teacher, 
to whom she was fondly attached. 
She attended the Sabbath school and 
meeting very regularly through the 
season, and was very much engaged 
on Saturday evening in getting her 



46 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

Sabbath school lesson. The time 
that elapsed between the close of her 
school and her death, a period of about 
five months, was very busily filled up 
in acquiring knowledge; and some- 
times, such were her mental efforts 
and excitement, that we were at a loss 
how to divert her attention. Marion 
continued attending the Sabbath 
school till November; always bring- 
ing home a book to read during the 
week, and reading those also which 
were taken by the other children. 

About the time her day school closed,* 
she began to collect her new library in 
two small boxes ; in which she kept 
her books, her doll, and other play- 
things. Some of the books which 
Marion at this time selected, deposited 
in her boxes, and daily read the few 
months she lived, may be mentioned 
on account of their character ; they 
seemed moreover to be her own choice, 
about which she had no particular di- 

* See Note D. 



MARION L. HURD. 47 

rection ; and they show in some meas- 
ure the state of her moral feelings, the 
channel of her thoughts, and the sub- 
jects, which occupied at least a portion 
of her time. They were a Bible and 
Testament, Child's Book on Repent- 
ance, Life of Moses, Family Hymns, 
Union Hymns, Daily Food, Lessons 
for Sabbath Schools, Henry Milner, 
Watts' Divine Songs, Nathan W. Dick- 
erman, Todd's Lectures to Children, 
and Pilgrim's Progress. These, with 
her various other books, were kept dur- 
ing the day in one part of the room in 
which she slept, and in the midst of 
them she passed hours daily; and at 
night she would carefully gather them 
up in her boxes and place them beside 
her bed. 

She began to compare ideas in her 
mind, obtained from her reading ; to ex- 
ercise the reasoning faculties, and to 
make inferences ; and often did her coun- 
tenance indicate a reflecting, thoughtful 
state of mind. Sometimes it was said 



48 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

to her — Tell me of what you are think- 
ing. Once, observing her in this state 
of mind, the question was put — " Mar- 
ion, what are you thinking about ? 

"I am thinking," she said, " whether 
the angels have wings." 

Well, what do you think of it ? 

" I think they have ; for Apollyon, 
who fought with Christian, had wings ; 
and if wicked angels have wings to do 
hurt with, good ones must have, to do 
good with." 

Marion read her Bible, but not in 
course. Her habit was to ask for those 
places which contained the stories so 
often repeated to her. Among her first 
requests for particular passages, was — 
" Find me the commandments." These 
had been committed to memory before 
she could read. It was not often that 
she was more than once directed to a 
place she wished to read. She could 
then readily find it ; and with deep in- 
terest Marion read all those important 
and practical sketches of good men. 



MARION L. HURD. 49 

from Enoch downward, with, which the 
Bible abounds. Those parts read most 
for the last few weeks prior to her fatal 
sickness, were what she called " The 
history of the creation of the world, 
and the fall of man ; the birth and cru- 
cifixion of Jesus Christ ; and what is 
after death." Repeatedly she said, — 
" What does the Bible say shall be 
after death V The existence of the 
soul when the body shall be dead, and 
the resurrection of the body to life again 
at the end of the world ; the happiness 
of the good, and the misery of the 
wicked ; subjects she had gathered out 
of the Scriptures, were topics of fre- 
quent and delightful conversation with 
her parents. Often, the last month of 
her life, did she climb upon her fath- 
er's knee, and after an affectionate em- 
brace, say, — "Now ask me questions 
on the Bible. Begin it and let us go 
all through." Of such exercises, she 
never seemed weary. When convers- 
ing on the Bible, she would affirm 



50 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

something relative to God, Christ, sin 
and holiness, life and death. Being 
inquired of, why she thought so, her 
reply was, — *' The Bible says so. We 
must believe what the Bible says." 
Marion's reading, like her conversation 
and movements, was without order. 
She read not long at a time in any one 
book. "Whatever books the other child- 
ren owned or borrowed, she would gen- 
erally contrive ways to procure to read 
herself, or have them read to her. 
Todd's Lectures to Children w r as bor- 
rowed by her little brother, of his aunt 
Clark. This circumstance inclined 
him to keep it out of Marion's hand ; 
and it was his purpose, after reading it 
himself, to return it. In the evening, 
when he brought it forward to read, 
Marion discovered it, and asked for 
the book. He told her it was borrow- 
ed, and he was charged not to let her 
have it. " Well, this is very accom- 
modating," was all she said at the time. 
The next morning, in a very affection- 



MARION L. HURD. 51 

ate manner, Marion asked him to let 
her have the book while he was gone 
to school ; enforcing her request with — 
" Now do be accommodating ; I would # 
do it for you." 

Such was generally the spirit of this 
dear child towards her brothers and 
sister ; and when they would get to- 
gether around the table, reading and 
studying, the winter evenings, Marion 
would say in reference to books and 
lights, — " Come now, let us all be ac- 
commodating." The " Lectures" she 
obtained, and soon got permission from 
her aunt to read them as much as she 
pleased. It was added to her library ; 
its stories and illustrations giving her 
much pleasure and instruction. 

Marion was particularly fond of read- 
ing the biography of good little child- 
ren. The Memoir of John Mooney 
Mead, she read with great interest — 
said he had gone to heaven, — and her 
interest in that book was increased by 
her parents telling her they had seen 



52 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

that lovely and good boy when he was 
about her age ; had often seen his pa- 
rents ; his father had been at our 
house ; now he was dead, his dear little 
boy too was dead ; and they were gone 
to heaven. Then, with a sigh she ask- 
ed, "Does his mother live ?" Yes. " O, 
how must she feel ! How should you 
feel mother, if I should die ?" " Nathan 
W. Dickerman" she literally wore out, 
often mentioning him as a " good and 
patient boy." The parts of hymns in 
that book she committed to memory. 
The hymn books were read much, and 
many hymns learned — and some of 
them daily repeated. She had one fa- 
vourite hvmn ; and, as it was the last 
divine song her tongue uttered on earth, 
and then onlv one stanza of it, the time 
and manner of her doing it, will not 
soon be forgotten. It was on the day 
she fell sick ; but not so sick as to be in 
bed. She was dressed. She rose from 
the bed on which she had been reclin- 
ing, kneeled, folded her hands, her 



MARION L. HURD. 53 

countenance expressing inward grief 
and submission, and in a sweet and low 
tone of voice she said — 

" There is beyond the sky, 

A heaven of joy and love ; 
And all good children, when they die, 

Go to that world above." 

Her father went to her and raised 
her up. It was not a time to say any 
thing. 

The Pilgrim's Progress, of all her 
books, was the one Marion read with the 
most interest and constancy. She began 
the reading of this work early in the au- 
tumn, in a small abridgment, " The 
Child's Pilgrim's Progress," belonging 
to the Sabbath school library : and be- 
came so much attached to it for some 
cause, that at night she was accustom- 
ed to lay it under her pillow. This 
book was returned. She then selected 
one out of several copies, standing on a 
shelf in the closet, published in full by 
the American Tract Society. "When 

this book was first discovered in her 

5* 



54 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

library, it was several times taken up 
and put back in its place. Marion as 
regularly went and took it again, and 
was very grateful when told she might 
call it her own. The questions she 
was in the habit of asking, the expla- 
nations she frequently sought of her 
parents, the impressions made upon her 
mind, and which from time to time 
came out in her conversation till the 
close of life, plainly show she did not 
love and read that book in vain, nor 
merely for its story, but for its heaven- 
ly truth. It was her custom to come 
to her mother with this book, and in 
her arms read, and be read to ; and 
nothing was suffered to pass unless she 
understood it. In her father's study 
too, did Marion seek explanations on its 
various parts, sentences, and even par- 
ticular w^ords ; and it was not at all 
times an easy matter to meet her inqui- 
ries. The following is one instance. 
She came into the study with her book, 
and said, " What are hobgoblins ? 



MARION L. HURD. 55 

What are fiends ? Now, what are sa- 
tyrs ?" Engaged in writing, her father, 
without even looking at her, hastily re- 
plied, They are nothing. " They cer- 
tainly are something," she said, "for 
Christian saw them in the valley of the 
shadow of death." Looking upon her, 
there was a serious air, and a spirit of 
inquiry in her countenance ; and an 
attempt was made to answer her inqui- 
ries, so as not on the one hand to impair 
the principle of faith ; nor on the other, 
to impress upon her young mind a wrong 
belief in supernatural agents. On Sab- 
hath evening, a few days previous to 
her last sickness, as Marion was sitting 
with her mother, and reading the Pil- 
grim's Progress with her, that part par- 
ticularly which describes the passage 
of Christian and Hopeful through the 
river, she asked, " Why did Christian 
go through the river with his head un- 
der water ?" This was explained by 
telling her that Bunyan meant himself 
by Christian in that book ; that he was 



56 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

for a time much distressed with the 
fear of death, and that Christian's go- 
ing through the river with his head un- 
der water, represents the doubts, fears, 
darkness and sorrow, in which death 
sometimes overtakes even the disciples 
of Christ. 

"Well," she added, "there was a 
ferryman there with a boat ; why did 
not Christian take that?" Some ques- 
tions were put to her, to ascertain how 
far she understood what she was read- 
ing. 

What is meant by the river, Ma- 
rion? 

" Death." 

Is there any way to heaven, but by 
dying? 

" No ; we must die to go to heaven." 

What was it for Christian to go 
through the river? 

" It was, to die." 

Can you tell then why he did not 
take the boat ? 

In her smiling and very lively way 



MARION L. HURD. 57 

of speaking, she said, "Yes; it was 
Vain-Hope's boat ; he ferried over Ig- 
norance, who went the wrong way to 
heaven, and they wouldn't let him in, 
but put him into the dark hole in the 
side of the hill. The wicked take the 
boat; the good go through the river." 
We cannot doubt, Marion understood 
much of what was intended to be 
taught in that book, which Philip 
says, in his life of John Bunyan, con- 
tains the essence of all theology. Cer- 
tainly, she was familiar with every 
step of the pathway of holiness trod 
by Christian, from the city of Destruc- 
tion, through the river of death, into 
the " Celestial City." 

The second part of this dream was 
read with equal interest by Marion; 
and she often said, with her arms 
around her mother's neck, " You are 
leading us children to heaven, as 
Christiana did, an't you ?" About this 
period Marion was in the habit of say- 
ing much about death, and the uncer- 



58 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

tainty of life; and of qualifying lier 
expressions with, " If I should live." 
Death, however, wore no frightful or 
gloomy aspect to her mind. When 
conversed with on this subject, she 
would say, "Could you spare me?" 
Then, repeating over the names of 
some good children, of whom she had 
read, she said, " Christ wanted them in 
heaven, and they died. If he comes 
for me, I will go. Don't Christ love 
such little children as I am?" He 
loves all good children. — " Yes" she 
said, " children that love God, and 
pray, and honour their father and mo- 
ther, Christ loves." 

Why do you suppose, Marion, 
Christ loves little children? 

"Because he said, 'suffer little 
children to come unto me, and forbid 
them not ; for of such is the kingdom 
of heaven.' " 

Such conversations were repeatedly 
held with her the last months of her 



MARION L. HURD. 59 

life, and were sought and brought 
about b}^ her own agency. 

That Marion had something like an 
abiding sense of God on her mind, 
seems evident from the remarks she 
often made during this period. En- 
gaged among her books or playthings, 
she would look round upon those in 
the room, and say, " God is every 
where present, is'nt he ? He sees us 
always, does'nt he? He knows all 
that we do, don't he?" In the early 
part of the winter, Marion began to 
say, in a very sober, thoughtful man- 
ner, " I shall die and go to heaven." 
Then, coming to her father, she would 
say, " Give me a certificate to enter 
the Celestial City. Christian had one, 
and I must have one." 

She was asked, 

"Who gave Christian his certifi- 
cate?" 

" One of the shining ones." 

Who was that shining one ? 



RECOLLECTIONS OF 



" Christ." 

The request for a certificate was re- 
peated at intervals up to the time of 
her sickness; and when asked, Who 
must give her one ? 

" Christ;" was the ready answer. 

The last time she requested a certi- 
ficate to go to heaven, it was made in 
such affecting circumstances, in so 
tender and solemn manner, and with 
such a sweet and wishful face, that we 
cannot forbear a distinct reference to 
it. It was on the Friday evening, pre- 
vious to her sickness, which com- 
menced on the following Tuesday. 
Her mother being absent, Marion 
spent the afternoon and evening of that 
day in the study; bringing in her 
books, and all else that her boxes con- 
tained. Her spirit never seemed more 
sweet and gentle, nor her mind more 
active, or thoughts more original. 

Some of her language, while look- 
ing at the pictures in what she always 



MARION L. HURD. 61 

called "Aunt Sally's Bible,"* will be 
related in another part of this letter. 

A portion of the time was filled up 
in arranging her pieces of money, and 
giving to them the names of the vari- 
ous travellers in the Pilgrim's Progress, 
and putting into the mouth of each, 
with great accuracy, the ideas and 
much of the very language, which the 
dialogues in that book contain. 

Having seen Christian and Hope- 
ful safely enter the gate of w^hat she 
represented the City of God, she came 
to the desk and said, 

" Father, are not you going to hea- 
ven? I am." She was told, Heaven 
is a very holy place, and to go there, 
we must be very good ; and you know 
we are great sinners. " Yes," she 
said, "Heaven is holy; God is holy: 
and all that go to heaven are holy ; 
and I mean to be good and go there ; 
and why don't you say ?" 

* A set of Doddridge's Family Expositor, presented 
to her father by the late Mrs. Sally Osgood. 
6 



62 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

After tea, Marion followed her father 
to the study, and asked the privilege 
of reading by his light. Something 
was said to dissuade her from reading 
any more. " Just let me sit by your 
table; I will not disturb you." A 
chair was placed; she took her Pil- 
grim's Progress, read select passages, 
and turned down the leaves. As she was 
doing this, she was asked, What place 
have you there, Marion? " Slough of 
Despond." What does that mean? 
" Christian's fears, when he first be- 
gan going the way to heaven ; and he 
fell in by reason of the burden on his 
back." How did Christian get out? 
" Help took him out ; and that was the 
Lord." You told me this afternoon, 
that you were going to heaven ; who 
must help you? " Jesus Christ will 
help us to heaven, won't he?" 

Marion proceeded, and turned down 
another leaf; and the question was 
again asked, What place have you 
there? "The cross, where Christian 



MARION L. HURD. 63 

lost his burden." Do you know what 
was meant by that burden, and why 
Christian lost it when he came to the 
cross ? " That burden was Christian's 
sins ; and the cross, Jesus Christ. — 
When we come to Christ, we lose our 
sins." 

Thus intelligent and satisfactory 
were Marion's answers from the 
Slough of Despond, to the Gate of 
Heaven ; evincing a familiar acquaint- 
ance with all parts of that allegory and 
its doctrine, which it was not before 
supposed she possessed. Then she 
asked, and for the last time — " Now, 
father, give me a certificate to go to 
heaven." Marion ! you do not need 
it now. " Yes, I do need it now, for I 
am going." Well, my dear daughter, 
you know I cannot give you such a 
certificate. " You write me one ; 
come, do ; and I will get Jesus Christ 
to put his name to it;" with a look 
and tone of voice, peculiar even to her- 
self. The pen dropped from her fath- 



64 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

er's hand ; he folded her in his arms ; 
prayed and talked a long time with 
her on the heavenly world, its holi- 
ness, peace and joy ; the death of the 
body and its resurrection ; wiio is seen 
in heaven, and what is done there ; in- 
to all which Marion entered with more 
than her usual earnestness ; saying at 
the close, "when I go to heaven, I 
shall not have these hands and these 
eyes, nor shall I speak with this 
tongue. My body will be dead, and 
all buried up in the ground; and I 
shall be a spirit, just like the angels." 
Having been prepared for bed, she 
said, " Now sing, — 

' When I can read my title clear,' 

rock me to sleep, and lay me in your 
bed till mother comes home." 

You will not think it strange, dear 
brother, that the heart of a parent 
lingers on the memory of this evening, 
when Ave tell you that, aside from the 
spirit and language of our loved one, 



MARION L. HURD. 65 

it was the last private interview her 
father had with her; the last time, 
that with prayer and song, he compos- 
ed her to sleep. 

Among the fond recollections of our 
dear daughter, are her filial spirit and 
conduct. Marion had so often looked 
out and read those passages in the 
Bible, which speak of the duties of 
children to their parents, that she could 
repeat most of them, together with 
those severe threatenings which are 
made against wicked and disobedient 
children. Many times a day she 
would say to her mother, " The fifth 
commandment says, 'honour thy fa- 
ther and thy mother.' " When asked, 
What is it to honour thy father and 
mother? Her reply was, "To love 
them and do just as they say." 

Don't you sometimes do things you 
ought not ? 

"What things?" 

Something was specified that had 
been out of the way. 



66 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

" I am sorry : I am sorry : I mean 
to be good, and do just as yon tell 
me." 

She would then say, " Now, mother, 
let me kiss you on that cheek;" and 
hanging on her neck, add, " O mother, 
how I do love you ! I love God too, 
and Jesus Christ, and the holy angels. 
God loves good children, wiio do as 
their mother tells them. I will not be 
like those wicked children, who said 
to the prophet Elisha, Go up, thou 
bald head ; go up thou bald head ; and 
the bears killed them;" and then she 
would say, " How could you keep 
house without me? If I should die, 
you would have no little daughter to 
help you." Such scenes often occurr- 
ed in months that are past, between 
mother and daughter ; but they come 
not again. Often too did Marion come 
into the study, saying, "Is there not 
something you want me to do ? some 
little chore V To meet her feelings, 
something was proposed. Having 



MARION L. HURD. 67 

done it, and received her kiss, she said 
smiling, "You could not do without 
me, could you ?" Such were Marion's 
filial spirit and conduct generally; and 
if fretfulness and discontent were man- 
ifested, it was in the morning after one 
of her more than usually sleepless and 
disturbed nights; when her face, which 
at all other times was highly coloured 
and cheerful, would be pale, assuming 
an anxious and sorrowful expression. 
We were not insensible how little re- 
pose the night gave Marion ; and often 
did the midnight hour find us holding 
her in our arms, or else hanging over 
her bed, vainly trying to compose her 
to sleep. She generally awoke at the 
breaking of the day, and coming to her 
mother, said, " Please take me into 
your bed;" sometimes adding with 
tears of grief, 

" I can find no rest for the sole of my foot." 

May we not hope, dear brother, she 
has found rest ; that " rest that remain- 



68 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

eth for the people of God?" And, 
though fancy it may be, yet may we 
not indulge it? Was not that sweet 
and heavenly smile, that lay for days 
upon her lovely face in death, left 
there by the spirit on its departure, to 
tell us what her tongue was not per- 
mitted to utter — " I am at rest?' 7 

In connexion with her filial disposi- 
tion and conduct, we might mention 
Marion's love of truth. She never 
to our knowledge, told a lie, or hesi- 
tated to disclose at once, whatever she 
knew about anything, or had herself 
been doing. Lying was one of her 
marks of a wicked child; and often 
did she speak of its sinfulness, adding, 
" Liars shall have their part in the burn- 
ing lake." 

She would reprove the other child- 
ren for using what she called improper 
words; repeat them to her parents, and 
ask, 

" Are not such words improper ? God 
does not approve of them, does he ?" 



MARION L. HURD. 69 

ft 

Marion's thoughts and language on 
these subjects, were obviously taken 
from Watts's Divine Songs for children, 
the greater part of which she had com- 
mitted to memory ; and the good influ- 
ence of those sacred songs was seen in 
her conduct. 

Her interest in family prayer was in- 
creasing, the last months of her life. 
Soon as breakfast was over, she w r ould 
sav, 

" Now let us read and pray." 

In the evening, she desired to sit up 
till after prayer. After dinner too, she 
repeatedly requested there might be 
reading and praying ; enforcing her re- 
quest with, 

"Why not pray after dinner, as well 
as after breakfast ? We ought to pray 
more." 

For a few weeks prior to her sick- 
ness, Marion's place during prayer was 
sitting in the chair at which her moth- 
er kneeled, with her arms about her 
neck. When prayer was over, she often 



70 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

said something relative to the subject. 
One of the last times she was permit- 
ted to unite in our family devotions, she 
said at the close, 

" We have been talking with God. 
God is a spirit. We can't see him, 
but he can see us. They see him in 
heaven." 

Marion's first reading in the morning 
was usually the commandments ; and 
last at night, the birth of Jesus Christ. 

The past winter, she was in the habit, 
when some stranger had called and re- 
tired, or when the name of some per- 
son with whom she was not acquainted 
was introduced, of asking, 

" Is he a good man ? Is he a Christ- 
ian? Does he pray?" 

If our answer expressed any doubt, 
she would add, 

" Does he drink rum ?" 

If so, he could not, in her view, be a 
good man. 

The celebration of the Lord's Sup- 
per, which she several times witnessed, 



MARION L. HURD. 71 

led Marion to make many particular 
inquiries relative to its design. On one 
of these occasions during the last sum- 
mer, when her father took his place at 
the table, she turned to her mother, and 
said, 

" What is father going to do ?" 

She was told, This is the communion 
season. 

11 What is it, mother, to commune ?" 

Her mother said, Jesus Christ, before 
he died, took bread and wine, called 
them his body and blood, gave them to 
his disciples, and told them to do it in 
remembrance of him ; and this is what 
we are going to do now. 

She was very attentive and observ- 
ing during the consecration of the ele- 
ments, and listened earnestly to the re- 
marks that followed. While the bread 
was passing, she said to her mother, 

"That bread is the body of Jesus 
Christ, and I want some of it" 

Her mother said, It is not proper that 
you should have it ; it is meant for the 



72 RECOLLECTIONS OF 



mei 



ambers of the church only — for those 
who love Christ. Marion thought a 
moment and said, 

" I love Christ, and I am a member 
of the church ; and why can't I have 
some of it?" 

Her mother broke from the bread she 
had taken for herself, and gave her. 
She expected the cup, and when it went 
from her mother's hand, her eyes filled 
with tears, and she wept during the re- 
mainder of the service, and on the way 
home in her father's arms, saying, 

" Jesus Christ loves little children. 
He came down from the skies; I do 
love him ; and why couldn't I com- 
mune ?" 

Marion loved to read poetry ; looked 
over the newspapers, old and new, and 
the Youth's Companion particularly, 
for the sake of the little hymns they 
contained ; and the pieces cut out by 
her sister, were put among her books. 
The Thunder Storm, and Casabianca, 
in the Middle Class Reader, a book she 



MARION L. HURD. 73 

was familiar with, her aunt Clark some- 
times asked her to repeat ; " because," 
she said, " Marion does it so rhetori- 
cally." 

Her reading and love of poetry, prob- 
ably, led Marion to attempt clothing 
her own thoughts in a kind of poetic 
dress. This she began to do. Some- 
times, at the table, she would utter one 
or two lines, and then, covering her 
face, would say, 

"John is laughing at me." 

This she could not endure. Very 
frequently the other children would 
say to us, 

"Hark! hark! hear Marion's rhymes." 

Some of these are still remembered ; 
and, to show the operations of her mind, 
and the mental efforts she was putting 
forth during the last month of her life, 
we give you an example or two. 

Marion, at times, anticipated the re- 
turn of summer, when she could go 
out and gather flowers, and wished that 
the winter was over, asking how long 



74 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

before the Spring and the birds would 
come. On one of these occasions she 
said, 

" By and by the Spring will come, 
And flowers again will bloom, — 

To the woods and fields I'll run, 
And gather flowers till noon." 

The following was addressed to her 
doll: 

" My darling little Miss, 

How good you've been to-day ! 
I'll give you a sweet good kiss, 

And lay you snug away." 

Reference has been made to the 
strong attachment Marion felt towards 
those little girls who were her compan- 
ions at school ; and to be separated so 
much from their society as she neces- 
sarily was in winter, was a painful 
sacrifice to her feelings. Often, the 
last winter, would she amuse herself by 
weaving their names into rhyme, and 
in her way singing them over as she was 
engaged among her books and play- 



MARION L. HURD. 75 

things. The following are productions 
of this kind : 

" Anna, Sarah, Abby, 

And dear Louisa too, 
Who have been in to day, 

To ask me how I do. 

I send my love to you, 
This cold and wintry day ; 
'Tis faithful love, and true, 
'Twill never die away. 

For you I make this song, 
With me to school you went ; 

And fast we ran along, 

On learning we were bent. 

I've pretty things to see, 

And many things to say ; 
So come and visit me, 

When mothers come to pray." 

" When mothers come to pray," is 
an allusion to the Maternal Association, 
whose meetings are held at our house, 
and which Marion always attended. 
Sometimes these little girls came with 
their mothers to the meeting. 

Generally, her efforts of this kind 



76 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

were upon more important subjects, 
such as a prayer or praise to God. 

The following words have been allu- 
ded to, and the time in which they were 
spoken. Closely occupied in examin- 
ing the pictures in Doddridge, which 
represent the scenes of taking down the 
body of Christ from the cross, and lay- 
ing it in the tomb ; looking and read- 
ing, as no one would suppose so young 
a child could look and read, who had 
not seen her when sometimes engaged 
with a book, Marion, referring to these 
two different pictures, said, 

" Jesus came down from the skies, 

Sinners to seek and to save ; 
Upon the cross th ere he dies, 

And here he's iaid in the grave." 

" Jesus arose from the dead " — 

Looking up, she asked, 
" What day did Jesus rise ?" 
She was told, on the Sabbath. 
" No, he did'nt ; he rose on the first 
day, and we shall rise on the last." 
Evidently recollecting the Scripture 



MARION L. HURD. 77 

language, that Jesus rose on the first 
day of the week, and that the general 
resurrection will be on the great and 
last day. 

The last month previous to her sick- 
ness, Marion's susceptibility of impres- 
sion was increasing to such a degree, 
as often alarmed us for her health. Her 
rapid reading, conversation, actions, 
original thoughts and expressions, all 
indicated a violent, and what we plain- 
ly saw afterwards, and must now call, 
an unnatural, if not morbid action of 
the brain, which in so few weeks ter- 
minated her life. 

Sometimes her book so engrossed her 
mind, that we had to repeat a question, 
before she seemed to hear ; and then, 
occasionally, she said, " Don't disturb 
me now ; let me read through." At 
such times we proposed a ride, if the 
weather would permit, and setting off, 
her mother would say to her, Now, 
Marion, we are going to such a place ; 
and I wish you not to ask for a book, 



78 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

as soon as you get there. Instead of 
promising she would not, her reply was, 
" Haven't they got any books ?" 

At other times she was much affect- 
ed in reading the account of our Sa- 
viour's crucifixion, and the murder of 
the children of Bethlehem by the order 
of Herod, whom she always called 
" cruel Herod." The representation 
of these events in Doddridge's Family 
Expositor, Marion often examined and 
wept over ; repeating as she looked 
and read, stanzas of hymns she had 
learned ; 

" His sacred limbs they stretch, they tear, — 
With nails they fasten to the wood ; 

His sacred limbs, exposed and bare, — 
Or only covered with his blood." 

Another : 

"His thorns and nails pierce thro' my heart, 
In every groan I bear a part ; 
I view his wounds with streaming eyes, 
But see — he bows his head and dies !" 

One time when reading the suffer- 



MARION L. HURD. 79 

ings of Christ, her feelings being con- 
siderably moved, she was asked, 

For whom did Jesus die ? 

" For sinners such as we, that we 
might be saved." 

What must we do, to have Jesus 
save us ? 

"We must love him and keep his 
commandments. " Then referring to 
the resurrection of Christ, her feelings 
changed from sorrow to joy ; and she 
said, " Jesus Christ is gone up to heav- 
en now, and the wicked Jews can hurt 
him no more. I shall see him when I 
go there. Good children go to heaven;" 
repeating one of her sweet hymns, be- 
ginning with, 

" The Lord is merciful and kind 

To children such as we ; 
He bids us all to come to him, 

And his disciples be." 

One other instance of the effect pro- 
duced upon Marion's feelings by a re- 
presentation of suffering we notice, be- 
cause it occurred on the day preceding 



80 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

her sickness, and on account of the re- 
flection that quieted her mind. Re- 
turning from a ride with Marion, we 
called at her aunt Clarke's. Immedi- 
ately on going in, she took from the 
bookshelf a number of Parley's Maga- 
zine, and sat down upon the carpet 
to read. She was so much interested 
that her aunt, coming into the room, 
spoke to her twice, before she secured 
any attention, and then only a look. In 
a little time Louisa said, " Marion is 
weeping." Her father asked, What is 
the matter, Marion?" She extended 
the book towards him. He said, Bring 
it to me. He took Marion upon his 
knee. She laid her finger upon the 
picture. It was a shipwreck, repre- 
senting an infant washed on shore, still 
alive, in its dead mother's arms, and 
the only survivor of the wreck. Soon 
as she could control her feelings suffi- 
ciently to speak, she asked, 

" What destroyed that vessel ?" 



MARION L. HURD. 81 

She was told, The winds and the 
waves. With many tears she said, 

" I wish there was no wind." 

It was said to her, It is wrong to 
wish so ; we could not live without the 
wind. Then she asked, 

" Why did not the woman go by 
land? then she had not been drown- 
ed, and the little babe would have a 
mother." 

It was said to her, Perhaps she could 
go no other way. Her feelings still 
increasing, her father kissed her and 
said, Marion, God sent that wind, and 
that vessel was destroyed just as he 
saw best. 

Considering a moment, she became 
calm, and said, 

" If God did it, it is right." 

This all occurred in the presence of 
the family ; and Marion having retired 
again to her reading, Louisa said in a 
low voice, "I am glad to see such a 
disposition in Marion ; why don't you 
cherish, instead of trying to suppress 



82 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

it ?" referring to the effect produced by 
the picture, on Marion's feelings. To 
which, answer was made, 

I fear the consequences of such men- 
tal excitement. 

How soon that fear, in the language 
of the prophet, "came upon us!" — 
That very night, she sickened unto 
death. 

At other times, she was as highly 
animated and joyful in speaking of the 
heavenly world, and of her own de- 
parture to it ; expressing herself in the 
following way : 

" There are many mansions in heav- 
en, and seats for little children ; and I 
shall sit in an angel's lap." 

A few evenings after the above re- 
marks, the family and some of the 
neighbours all sitting around the cheer- 
ful fire, Marion brought the Bible to 
her father, saying, 

" Please find me where Elijah was 
translated." The passage was turned 
to; she took the book, retired to the 



MARION L. HURD. 83 

table, and read it carefully ; came back, 
and standing up in a chair close by her 
father, lifting up her eyes and hands, 
she said, with an unusual animation of 
manner and voice, 

" I shall go to heaven as Elijah did. 
I shall go to heaven as Elijah did." 

Her father, putting his arms around 
her, said, My daughter, you cannot go 
to heaven as Elijah did. He went 
without dying as other men die ; you 
must die, to go to heaven. She said, 

" Elijah went up by a whirlwind in- 
to heaven, and so shall I." 

She was told how good and holy Eli- 
jah was, and that we were very sinful ; 
and heaven was so holy a place, that 
we must be very humble, and willing 
to take a low seat, to be received into it. 

She replied, 

" I shall sit where I can see Jesus, 
and hear them praise his name." 

She was told, Jesus can be seen on 
the lowest seat in heaven. She said, 
smiling, 



84 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

" If Jesus can be seen, it is enough." 

This conversation was often remem- 
bered during her sickness. It occur- 
red in the same room in which she was 
taken away, violently and suddenly, as 
by a whirlwind. 

But Marion was not always thus 
strongly moved with sorrow or joyful- 
ness, during these few weeks of health. 

She was much of the time alone 
with us, and her manner, and some of 
her last conversations were exceeding- 
ly sweet and tender. 

Those, to which we shall now allude, 
took place after our return from the 
funeral of her aunt Adams, whose death 
Marion often referred to, and brought 
her name into her remarks on another 
world. She was very particular in her 
inquiries about the funeral of her aunt, 
and where she was buried. She was 
told the order and exercises of the oc- 
casion, and that her aunt was buried 
close beside her little cousin Harriet, 
who had been dead three years ; and 



MARION L. HTJRD. 85 

now her dear mother, who loved her 
and mourned for her, was laid there 
too ; that they had done with the world, 
and would weep and mourn no more ; 
that we all should soon be dead and 
buried too. 

Marion said, " Yes, so we shall ; but 
we shall rise from the dead. Jesus 
Christ rose from the dead the third day, 
and we shall rise, but not so soon ; at 
the end of the world. 

" Jesus Christ went up to heaven, 
after he rose from the dead, and we 
shall, if we are good. The good go to 
heaven when they die. 

" There will be two resurrections; 
one of the good, and one of the bad ; 
and the good shall rise first." Then 
she said, 

" Father, what kind of bodies shall 
we have in the resurrection?" 

She was told, simply, what the Bi- 
ble says, — Spiritual bodies. 

" Spiritual bodies ! What are they?" 
8 



86 RECOLLECTIONS OF 

she inquired. "Bodies that will not 
die?" 

These ideas she obtained from the 
Scriptures, having often examined the 
pictures in Doddridge's Expositor, and 
carefully read the sacred text, which, 
she used to say, " explains the picture 
to me." 

Marion, after very closely inspect- 
ing the countenances given in those 
pictures, both to the just and unjust, 
in the resurrection, would say, 

" Oh ! how the wicked look, when 
they rise from the dead ■!" adding in a 
serious and solemn manner, 

" There is a dreadful hell, 
And everlasting pains, 
Where sinners must with devils dwell, 
In darkness, fire, and chains." 

On Tuesday evening following our 
return from your house, Marion re- 
ferred to her aunt, and the first resur- 
rection, in the following manner : 

A young lady, spending a little 
time in our family, and taken sick that 



MARION L. HURD. 87 

day, was in Marion's sleeping room. 
In the evening, Marion went into her 
bed awake, as there were persons in 
the room in attendance on the sick. 
A lady, an entire stranger to her, 
struck with the remarks Marion was 
making to herself, sat down by her 
bed, and began conversing with her. 
Marion expressed her solicitude about 
the sick ; called up the names of some 
persons who had recently died among 
us ; related the sickness and death of 
her aunt Adams, and how she was 
buried; "But," she added, "she will 
rise in the first resurrection, when 
Christ comes at the end of the world ; 
and we shall all go to heaven together 
then — all the good. The good will 
rise first." 

The Sabbath following was a very 
pleasant day. Marion went to meet- 
ing for the last time. After meeting, 
she read in her Pilgrim, in her mo- 
ther's arms, Christian's pathway in 
the valley of the shadow of death, 



88 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

through the river into heaven; and 
conversed a long time with her mo- 
ther on the invisible world. 

When the sun was going down, her 
mother, sitting by the window, looking 
out upon the bright and calm scene, 
having been meditating upon the un- 
certainty of human life, and thinking 
of her dear sister, who, two weeks be- 
fore, about the same hour of the day, 
had fallen asleep in Jesus, said to Ma- 
rion, who was reading in another part 
of the room in Todd's Lectures, Come 
here, and see this beautiful sun-set. 

Marion hastened to her arms, look- 
ed out upon the golden clouds and sky 
— the sun just sinking behind Pine 
Hill — and said, 

" O mother, that looks just like the 
Celestial City — the streets all paved 
with gold. 

" My dear aunt Adams is now there ; 
and I shall go." 

Then looking earnestly in her mo- 
ther's face, she asked, 



MARION L. HURD. 89 

" Which do you think will die first, 
you, or I?" 

She was told, We cannot tell who 
will die first ; but it may be, Marion, 
that you will die before mother. With 
a gentle sigh and sweet voice, she 
said, 

" Perhaps I shall." 

Her mother continued, 

" Should you be willing to die, and 
leave father and mother?" 

Reflecting a moment, she replied, 

"I think I should, if Christ calls 
me." 

An embrace was her mother's only 
answer. 

Marion, raising herself up, and put- 
ting her arms around her mother's 
neck, and her face in her bosom, said, 

" There is one thing, mother, I 
wish; and that is, that you will die 
with me." 

Her mother said, 

God will order all things right. 
8* 



RECOLLECTIONS OF 



Looking up with a smile, she re- 
plied, 

" So he will ; so he will;" and went 
again to her book. 

Marion's feelings and conduct, at 
times, seemed to be much influenced 
by what she understood to be the will 
of God. 

" God knows best; and He will do 
right ;" were frequent expressions with 
her. 

That she felt, too, something like ob- 
ligation to God, might be inferred from 
her often saying, 

" God is great and good, and we 
ought to love and serve him. The 
angels serve him in heaven, and we 
must in this world." 

Marion also at this period spoke 
very confidently of her own salvation ; 
said she should be saved; and, she cer- 
tainly had obtained some correct views 
of the way of salvation. It is no 
bad definition of faith, that she once 
gave, 



MARION L. HURD. 91 

"That it was Christian's keeping 
his roll." 

During one of her last visits to her 
grandmother, she performed many 
little acts for her aunt Louisa;* and 
being alone with her, went to her bed. 
Leaning her elbow upon the table, and 
laying her head in her hand, she said, 

" Louisa, do you remember the story 
of Ignorance ?" 

Yes, I do, she replied, and began 
relating it. 

"Stop," said Marion, "let me tell 
it." 

" Ignorance came out of the country 
of Conceit, and never began right. 
Sometimes Christian found him on the 
way; said some things to him, but 
they did'nt go together. There was 
no valley of humiliation or shadow of 
death in the way Ignorance went ; nor 
had he any fight with Apollyon. — 
When he came to the river, there was 
a ferryman there, who carried him 
* Note c. 



92 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

over in his boat ; but no shining ones 
met him on the other side. He went 
alone up the hill to the gate ; knock- 
ed; they looked over the top of the 
gate, and said, Who are you ? He told 
them he had come to heaven. They 
asked him for his certificate. He felt 
in his bosom, but he had none; and 
they came out, and put him into the 
door in the side of the hill ; and that 
is hell." 

" But, dear Louisa," she said, with 
an earnest cheerfulness, "it will not 
be so with me. I shall be led up to 
the gate by the shining ones, and go 
straight into the city." 

Louisa, somewhat surprised by the 
thoughts and language of Marion, said 
to her, How do you expect to be saved? 

"By Christ. He came into the 
world to save sinners." 

She further inquired, What must 
we do to be saved by Christ ? 

Marion replied, 

" Love him, and keep his command- 



MARION L. HURD 93 

ments. He calls little children, such 
as I am, to come to him." 

Marion was taken sick on Tuesday 
morning, the 9th of February, 1841. 
She called to her mother before it was 
light. Her mother went and lay down 
with her, and asked her if she was sick. 
She said she was not ; and laying her 
face upon her mother's neck, she had 
a quiet sleep. She arose and was 
dressed, and kept about most of the 
day; reading at times in her New 
England Primer, which had been pre- 
sented to her the day before, by Mr. 

B , at whose shop she called. She 

took part with us in family prayer this 
morning, for the last time, reading her 
Bible. 

In the evening the physician was 
called. She had no rest for the night. 
She made no complaint on Wednes- 
day, but her fever was high. 

On the evening of this day, in her 
mother's arms, Marion held her last 
conversation on religious subjects. 



94 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

Her mother said to her, 

Marion, you are very sick, and may 
not live. Marion replied, 

" If I die, mother, I shall go to hea- 
ven." 

Should yon die, and go to heaven, 
whom will yon see there? asked her 
mother. 

"I shall see Jesns Christ; He is in 
heaven." 

Besides Jesns Christ, Marion, whom 
will yon see in heaven ? 

" I shall see Christian and Hopeful ; 
and Faithful too, whom the wicked 
killed." 

Again her mother asked ; 

Is there no one else you think of, 
you will see in heaven ? Reflecting a 
moment, a smile gathering on her face, 
she said, 

"O yes, mother; I shall see my 
dear aunt Adams, who has just gone 
there." 

But, Marion, said her mother, are 



MARION L. HURD. 95 

you not afraid to die ? It is a serious 
thing to die, and appear before God. 

" No, mother ; I am not afraid to 
die; and I am willing to die." 

In hope and fear, prayer and watch- 
ing, her mother passed the night alone 
with Marion. 

When morning came, her mother 
introduced the subject of death again. 
— But Marion was too sick to converse. 
She replied very briefly, and with 
great difficulty, to her mother's ques- 
tions ; and the last words Marion was 
heard distinctly to utter, were, 

"I am not afraid to die." 

During this day and the night fol- 
lowing, which was Thursday, the 
question was settled in our own minds, 
that Marion must die. But how could 
we come to such a conclusion ? How 
could we give her up to death ? God, 
we hope, began then to teach us how, 
and will complete the lesson. 

On Friday morning we took our 



96 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

leave of her, all hope of her recovery 
having departed. 

Marion could no longer speak with 
her tongue ; but her eyes spoke. She 
had her reason, was perfectly calm, 
and never looked more sweet and beau- 
tiful. We gathered around her bed, 
parents and children; bending over 
her, with kind words and kisses, bid- 
ding her adieu; commending her to 
that merciful Saviour who said, " Suf- 
fer little children to come unto me, and 
forbid them not; for of such is the 
kingdom of heaven." 

Marion continued till Sabbath morn- 
ing, the 21st ; when, just before the ris- 
ing of the sun, she sweetly sunk to rest. 

A few minutes before death, she 
opened her eyes, and could both see 
and hear. Her father, raising her 
head in his arms, said, Marion, you 
are dying ; going through the river as 
Christian did; the shining ones will 
come to you ; you will soon be at the 
gate of the Celestial City. And our 



MARION L. HURD. 97 

last prayer for this dear child was, 
" Lord Jesus, receive her spirit." 

Thus, brother, we have tried to an- 
swer your kind letter, and give you 
some of the information you asked for. 

We have gathered up a few frag- 
ments of Marion's thoughts and re- 
marks, chiefly on religious subjects; 
and said but little on the merely intel- 
lectual movements of her mind; be- 
cause, to you and ourselves, the moral 
dispositions of a child are of more con- 
sequence than all things else. 

Marion, however, read other books, 
than those strictly religious ; and she 
talked on other subjects, than the jour- 
ney of Christian through this world to 
heaven. But, that she had learned 
something of the character of God and 
the work of Christ, of heaven and the 
way of salvation, during her own short 
journey, was very comforting to us, 
when we went down with her to the 
" river," and, for the long journey of 
eternity, commended her to that kind 



98 RECOLLECTIONS OP 

Shepherd, who will take care of the 
lambs of his flock. 

We can truly say, "With many 
tears we have written unto you ;" while 
memory has brought before us the 
words and acts of one whom we shall 
see no more ; measuring back these four 
years, from the first dawn of life, to 
that Sabbath day, when with us, 

" You looked upon her face, that neither wept, 
Nor knew who gazed upon't ; and yet it smiled." 

Should the perusal of this letter 
sweeten one drop in the full cup of 
bitterness which God has, in the mean- 
time, measured out to you ; or should 
it relieve one hour's loneliness amid 
the desolation that reigns in your 
house; or should it make your com- 
munion with heaven more frequent, by 
reminding you of the loved ones that 
are there ; we shall be more than paid 
for all our own tears in writing. 

We have experienced, in large meas- 
ure, the kindness and sympathy of our 



MARION L. HURD. 99 

Christian friends and neighbours; to all 
of whom Marion had endeared herself, 
and who mourn with us, her early and 
sudden departure. 



NOTES. 



NOTE A. 

This was Harriet Weston Adams, a 
very lovely and interesting child, who 
died in faith and hope, January 1838, 
at the age of twelve years, having given 
early evidence of piety. 

NOTE B. 

Marion's aunt Adams, repeatedly 
mentioned in this letter, was Harriet, 
daughter of the Rev. Abijah Wines, 
many years pastor of the Congregational 
Church in Newport, N. H. She died 
suddenly of typhus fever, Sabbath eve, 
Jan. 17, 1841, just five weeks before 
Marion's death. The visit here allud- 
ed to, was the only opportunity she had 
of forming an acquaintance with Marion 
on earth ; but we trust it is consumma- 
ted in heaven. Marion's ardent attach- 
ment to her aunt upon so short ac- 
quaintance, will be readily accounted 
9* 101 



102 NOTES. 

for by all who knew Mrs. Adams. 
Ardent, frank, of remarkable conversa- 
tional powers, extensive reading, reten- 
tive memory, and discriminating judg- 
ment, devotedly pious, fondly attached 
to children, with an uncommon faculty 
of interesting them and communicating 
instruction, she readily got access to 
Marion's heart, and made upon it an 
indelible impression. It hardly need 
be added that she was greatly delight- 
ed with her little niece. 

NOTE C. 

Her father's sister, who has been 
confined to her bed for the last nine 
years. During this long period of 
sickness, she has preserved great cheer- 
fulness and Christian submission. Ma- 
rion often visited her sick-room ; con- 
versed much with her, and heartily 
sympathized in her affliction. 

NOTE D. 
Furnished by MariorCs Teacher. 

It was in June 1840, that Marion 



NOTES. 103 

commenced attending my day-school. 
Her sweet disposition and good beha- 
viour, desire and faculty to learn, soon 
secured my affection. As she was not 
of an age sufficient to be considered a 
scholar, I paid little attention to in- 
structing her at first, supposing it 
would not be observed by Marion. But 
of this neglect, she began soon to re- 
mind me, bringing her book and say- 
ing, " I have not read." She acquired 
immediately, and retained a knowledge 
of the alphabet ; and improved so ra- 
pidly, that I instructed her regularly, 
as I did the other children, when she 
was in school. — She was not inclined 
to take the common course from the 
alphabet to " ab," &c. but w r anted to 
read long words ; and in a little time 
went into reading. Before she could 
read well enough to keep her place, 
she asked to stand by me, when the 
class were reading in the Young Read- 
er, that I might assist her in keeping 
her place. 



104 NOTES. 

I endeavoured to discourage her; 
told her she had no book ; but Marion 
was not to be discouraged. She soon 
procured a book, going to the shop for 
it herself. Bringing it to me, her face 
full of smiles of joy, she said — 

" I have got a book of my own ; may 
I not read with the class?" 

My usual course was, after the class 
had read, to inquire of each member, 
the substance of the chapter. Marion 
would frequently relate the whole 
story. She was anxious to study Ge- 
ography with the larger scholars ; and, 
to gratify her, one day, I gave her a 
book, pointing out the lesson next to 
be recited. When the class was called, 
Marion took her place with them, and 
answered most of the questions very 
readily. She afterwards regularly re- 
cited with the class, and acquired con- 
siderable knowledge of Geography. 
When I was putting questions to the 
other scholars, she would frequently 
say, 



NOTES. 105 

" They don't know ; may not I an- 
swer ?" 

She went before one half the school 
in the art of spelling, and preferred to 
remain and spell with the large schol- 
ars, to being dismissed with the small 
ones. She lost no opportunity of gain- 
ing knowledge in school. 

Soon after she commenced attending 
my day school, I said to her, 

Marion, don't yon wish to go to the 
Sabbath school ? 

"I do; if my mother is willing," 
she said. 

The next Sabbath morning, she came 
and joined my class. Her usual seat 
was by my side in front of the class, 
that she might hear every word that 
was uttered ; showing the greatest in- 
terest in the lesson, and often surpris- 
ing me with her questions and answers. 

Christ's birth and work of salvation, 
were pleasing subjects to Marion. Her 
thoughts seemed to dwell upon and be 
more delighted with the history of the 



106 NOTES. 

Saviour's birth, than any other topic ; 
and when I was conversing with my 
class, she often recurred to the second 
chapter of Matthew, and repeated the 
stanza, 

" On the long expected morn, 
He was in a stable born ; 
In a manger he was laid, 
Where the horned oxen fed." 

Marion was so familiar with Bible 
stories, that I could seldom refer to one, 
of which she would not repeat every 
important circumstance. 

Her memory was so tenacious, that 
she would repeat several verses, by 
simply hearing the older scholars of the 
class read them. 

Marion was always ready to answer 
questions that were put to the class ; 
and her answers showed that she 
thought, reflected and understood. 

As an example of her manner, I put 
the question once to the class, 

How should we improve every Sab- 
bath? 



NOTES. 107 

Marion immediately answered by 
repeating, 

" And every Sabbath should be passed, 
As if we knew it were our last ; 
For what would dying people give, 
To have one Sabbath more to live 1" 

Reflecting a moment, she added, 
" That is not right. It ought to be, 

" What would dying sinners give, 
To have one Sabbath more to live." 

I said to her, Marion, do n't Christians 
wish to live ? 

" Why/' she replied, " good people 
are prepared, and not afraid to die." 

I met my little class once in two 
weeks, on Saturday, in some private 
room. These meetings were of great 
interest to Marion. She hardly knew 
how to express her joy at their return ; 
and often said to me, 

" I wish you would meet the class 
every day, to pray, and talk with us 
about God and heaven." The last time 
Marion went to the Sabbath school, I 



108 NOTES. 

led her home by the hand. She talked 
by the way on the subject of the lesson ; 
expressing her love to attend and learn 
about God ; and very affectionately re- 
quested me to meet the class at her 
house. I told her we should not be 
able to meet again, the weather had be- 
come so cold. She said, 

" Well, I don't know that I shall at- 
tend the Sabbath school any more this 
winter ; I can't be out in the cold, nor 
walk on the snow." 



THE END. 



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